This section provides background information related to the present disclosure which is not necessarily prior art.
Generally, an electrically-heated catalyst (designated as an “eCAT” hereinafter) may be used to purify the exhaust gas of the internal combustion engine, in which the eCAT may be heated by electric power from a battery. With this approach, eCAT can be used to provide a method to increase gas temperatures directly in the exhaust catalyst. The energy input can be tailored according to the component need.
However, current approaches experience eCAT control problems that result in ripple currents. The ripple current affects drivability because of ripple torque effect. Accordingly, it is desirable to have different power levels for eCAT control. In addition, it is desirable to effect a switching control approach that reduces the impact on the electrical network. Furthermore, other desirable features and characteristics of the present invention will become apparent from the subsequent detailed description and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and the foregoing technical field and background.